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Technology & Development Program
United States Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
March 2007
7300 0773–2308–MTDC
For additional information, contact: Richa Wilson, USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Region, 324 25th Street, Ogden, UT 84401. Phone: 801–625–5704; fax: 801–625–5229: e-mail: [email protected]
Facilities
Early 20th-Century Building Materials: Fiberboard and Plywood
Richa Wilson, Intermountain Regional Architectural HistorianKathleen Snodgrass, Project Leader
• Fiberboard and plywood (figure 1)
have been used in Forest Service
facilities since early in the 20th
century.
• Moisture is the most common cause
of damage to fiberboard and to
plywood made with glues intended for
interior use.
• Often, damaged fiberboard and
plywood can be repaired using several
techniques described in this tech tip.
As noted in the tech tip, Early 20th-Century Building
Materials: Introduction (http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/
htmlpubs/htm06732314/ Username: t-d Password: t-d),
the Forest Service always has encouraged the use of wood-
based products in its facilities. As early as �933, acceptable
wall and ceiling products included fiberboard (sometimes
and commonly incorporated into Forest Service buildings.
The series will help you identify materials by describing
their histories, manufacture, and physical characteristics.
This series also addresses common problems and provides
guidance on maintenance, repair, and replacement.
TT his tech tip is the second in
a series about innovative
building materials developed in
the first half of the 20th century
Figure �—Varnished plywood covers the walls and ceiling of the Rabideau infirmary, which was built in �935.
2
referred to as rigid board, building board, or wallboard) and
plywood. The Washington Office’s Improvement Handbook
(�937) and Principles of Architectural Planning for Forest
Service Administrative Improvements (�938) noted that
certain fiberboards were acceptable for use as insulation and
on interior walls and ceilings. These included Masonite, Nu-
Wood, Du-X, and Fir-tex. To support the Forest Service’s
goal of using wood, fiberboards were favored as a finish
material, although they were also deemed suitable as a lath or
base for plaster finishes.
Although the first American patent for fiberboard was
issued in �858, fiberboard was not used widely until the
�9�0s. During World War II, production increased because
fiberboard could be installed easily and quickly in temporary
military structures. The fiberboard industry also grew with
the demand for housing after the war, particularly as an
interior finish. Some fiberboard materials were manufactured
for exterior application, but they often performed poorly.
Plywood, another wood-based product, gained favor
because of technological advances during World Wars I
and II. It could be used for interior or exterior applications
depending on the type of adhesives used in the plywood. By
the �950s and �960s, plywood and its cousin, particleboard,
were preferred over fiberboard for many applications.
FiberboardFiberboard is a generic name for construction panels
made of wood or vegetable fibers. Some are homogenous
materials, while others are laminated sheets with fiber cores
and surfaces of ground wood. The earliest fiberboard panels
were made with fibers from an array of materials including
jute, straw, sugar cane stalks, flax, hemp, grass, newspaper,
and peanut shells. They were manufactured under names
such as Fir-tex, Homasote, Masonite, Beaver Board, Feltex,
Nu-Wood, and Upson Board.
Wood has always been the most common fiber used in
fiberboard. Historic manufacturing processes varied, but
most required a pulping process that cooked or ground the
wood to separate its fibers. The pulp was mixed with binders
such as glue, asphalt, or resins and moved onto screens where
heavy pressure and heat squeezed out water and compressed
the fibers. This process bound the wood fibers to each other
and the binders, producing one smooth side and one side
that was textured because it had been pressed against the
screen. The formed sheets were dried, trimmed, and, in some
cases, finished with paint, enamel, paper, fabric, or glaze.
Eventually, processes were developed to cover the panels
with wood veneer or plastic laminate.
Because moisture was their primary enemy, fiberboards
often were treated with waterproofing materials to retard
rot and swelling. Asbestos, plaster of Paris, clay, turpentine,
paraffin wax, or other materials were added to some mixes to
improve fire resistance and produce other desirable qualities
such as stiffness, hardness, smooth surfaces, increased
strength, or durability.
Fiberboard products were valued for ease of use,
particularly by unskilled workers. For the Forest Service,
this was particularly important when young, untrained men
from the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed facilities.
Unlike plaster walls and ceilings, fiberboard could be applied
quickly and required no drying time. The Improvement
Handbook (�937) indicated that, for reasons of economy,
fiberboard was recommended as a finish in attics, basements,
and closets even when other spaces were plastered.
The joints between fiberboard panels could be treated
in several ways. The Principles of Architectural Planning
for Forest Service Administrative Improvements (�938)
promoted a V-groove joint (figure 2), rather than the more
common practice of covering joints with battens. The
Northern Region Construction and Maintenance Handbook
(�935) recommended that Masonite or plywood be installed
horizontally on walls, with a chair rail applied over the
horizontal seam between sheets. If these wallboards
were installed in dwellings, the handbook recommended
varnishing them. In other buildings, Masonite panels were
to be finished with light-colored calcimine. Calcimine is a
low-cost, water-based paint (sometimes known as distemper)
containing glue and coloring.
Fiberboard is differentiated by density. Most historic
fiberboard can be categorized as low-density (insulation)
board, medium-density board, or hardboard.
Low-Density FiberboardLow-density fiberboard was known as insulation board
because of its sound-deadening and thermal qualities. This
3
Figure 2—This section of page 24 of the Forest Service’s Principles of Architectural Planning for Forest Service Administrative Improvements (�938) explains acceptable uses of plywood, Masonite, Nu-Wood, and similar materials.
lightweight, rigid product made of fibrous pulp was available
in sheets, planks, and tiles. Insulation board was best suited
for interior applications because of its susceptibility to water
damage.
Insulation board could be installed on interior walls
and ceilings and painted or calcimined. Left unfinished, its
brown face could be easily scored or cut to create interesting
patterns (figure 3), and then painted to provide an easily
cleaned surface (figure 4). Sheets with beveled edges were
available and offered additional decorative properties.
Sometimes insulation board, rather than traditional wood
lath, was used to support plaster.
While the thickness of insulation board ranged from 3⁄8
to � inch, Forest Service guidebooks often recommended
½-inch insulation board for facilities. Sheets were 4 to 8
feet wide and could be up to �6 feet long. Panels used as
insulating lath under plaster typically measured �8 to 24
inches wide and 48 inches long. Insulation board was secured
to the building frame with adhesives, nails, screws, or
patented methods such as dropped metal grids for ceilings,
the forerunner of the suspended ceilings found in many
offices today.
Early trade names for insulation board included Insulate,
Fir-tex, and Nu-Wood–all of which were made from wood
pulp. In �92�, a fiberboard was produced using bagasse, the
dry pulp byproduct of sugar cane after the juice has been
extracted. This fiberboard was the first of many products
developed by Celotex Co., which later produced acoustic
materials such as the perforated Acousti-Celotex Cane Tile.
The first Masonite product, made in �927, was a 7⁄16-inch
insulation board that could be used as structural sheath-
ing, sound insulation, and an interior wall surface. Plaster
containing no more than �0 percent lime could be applied
directly to the board. Other early Masonite products included
beveled tiles and planks and the Litecol board, which was
nearly white.
Masonite Corp. used a unique pulping process. Instead
of cooking or grinding the wood chips, a machine ex-
4
Figure 3—This fiberboard ceiling in the Butte Falls Ranger Station (Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Pacific Northwest Region) has been carved into a decorative pattern. The ceiling is the natural brown color of the wood pulp from which it was manufactured.
Figure 4—The fiberboard ceiling in the Fenn Ranger Station office (Moose Creek Ranger District, Nez Perce National Forest, Northern Region) has been carved and painted.
ploded them with such force that the wood fibers separated.
Masonite Corp. later concentrated on producing its popular
hardboard (see the Hardboard section).
Medium-Density FiberboardHomasote, Beaver Board, and Upson Board were
medium-density fiberboards promoted for use in a variety
of applications. Homasote, introduced in �9�6, was a
homogenous material made of recycled newspapers (the
source of its gray color) and petroleum wax. Touted as an
insulation and structural board for interior and exterior
use, it was available as smooth, striated, or wood-textured
panels and as beveled siding. Panels as large as 8 by �4 feet
eliminated the need for battens or seams in most rooms.
Homasote is still manufactured today.
Beaver Board was a laminated sheet product invented
in �903 and perfected with several patents in the �9�0s. The
�9�4 patent described a 3⁄16-inch-thick board with an interior
layer of ground wood covered by thin layers of cooked wood
on each side to provide moisture resistance and strength. One
side was finished with a thin layer of textured ground wood
for decorative purposes. Used through the �920s, this version
of Beaver Board came in 32- and 48-inch widths. The back
was stamped with the company’s logo and instructions, while
the front had a pebbled finish that could be painted, stained,
or left natural. To allow for expansion, panels had to be
installed 1⁄8 inch apart. Decorative battens typically covered
the gap.
Upson Board was another laminated fiberboard with one
textured side, similar in appearance to Beaver Board. The
primary difference was that the back of Upson Board was
not stamped with the brand name. Instead, its center layer
was dyed blue, making it readily identifiable. Three widths
(32, 48, and 64 inches) and seven lengths were available. In
�920, the manufacturer patented the Upson Self-Clinching
Fastener, a five-pronged steel fastener. These were nailed to
studs and the fiberboard panels were pressed onto the prongs,
which held them in place.
For several decades, medium-density fiberboards
remained popular even as their manufacturing processes
and ingredients changed. In �928, CertainTeed Corp. bought
Beaver Board Co. and continued to produce Beaver Board
under that trade name until the early �940s. Upson Co. used
the name briefly after buying the Beaver Board factory from
CertainTeed in �955. They continued to make Upson Board,
Beaver Universal Fiberboard, and Beaver Fiberboard. The
original Upson Co. closed in �984.
HardboardMost historic hardboard was 1⁄8 to 5⁄16 inch thick,
although two boards could be glued together to make a panel
that was more rigid. Masonite Corp. introduced its first
hardboard in the early �930s. The Presdwood hardboard,
from 1⁄10 to 5⁄16 inch thick, was used for interior finishes and
5
Figure 6—Masonite was often used to finish the interiors of the Quonset huts that the Forest Service acquired from the military after World War II. This Quonset hut is now used for storage at the Duck Creek Administrative Site (Juneau Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, Alaska Region).
as battens over other Masonite products. Panels could be
nailed or glued vertically or horizontally, then painted or
wallpapered. A more durable product known as Tempered
Presdwood was introduced in �93�. Often, it was screwed
to studs and its joints covered with decorative battens.
Temprtile, a popular choice for bathrooms and kitchens, was
a Masonite water-resistant hardboard embossed to look like
4- by 4-inch tiles (figure 5).
Masonite and other hardboards became staples of
premanufactured housing and lined the interiors of more
than �50,000 Quonset huts during World War II (figure
6). By the �950s, hardboard siding was available in panel,
shiplap, shingle, and board-and-batten styles. Optional
features included factory-applied primers, vented mounting
strips, and several textures. Another �950s Masonite product
was a gray, wood-grained interior wall panel known as Misty
Walnut. Masonite’s Royalcote, with its polished and durable
faux wood finish, also proved popular.Identification of Fiberboard Panels
Fiberboard usually can be identified by its brown or
gray color and homogenous appearance. If fiberboard is
painted, look for clues such as joint moldings, beveled joints,
or scoring. Check areas such as basement stairs and attics
where unpainted surfaces may be exposed. You may be able
to see cross sections where the fiberboard has been broken
off or cut for electrical boxes, plumbing lines, or mechanical
equipment.
When tapped, insulation board will sound somewhat
hollow and softer than gypsum board or plaster, although
numerous layers of paint may minimize this difference.
If you can’t tell whether a surface is fiberboard using the
methods described above, choose a concealed area (a closet
or under the eaves, for example) and drill a small hole,
preferably with a hand drill. This will help you determine the
thickness of the board and will provide drill shavings that
can be examined for color, texture, and material.
Maintenance and Repair of Fiberboard
Fiberboards share several problems, but susceptibility
to moisture damage is the most common. Insulation board is
more susceptible to moisture damage than denser fiberboard,
although all fiberboard products can warp or rot in humid Figure 5—Temprtile, a hardboard product embossed to resemble tile, was used as a water-resistant wainscot in the cook’s bathroom at the Fenn Ranger Station.
6
areas or when water has penetrated them. Keep fiberboards
dry. Clean them with a damp cloth and dry excess moisture
with a clean cloth. Don’t use soap or harsh detergents unless
the surface is covered with paint or another protective finish.
Because insulation boards are relatively soft, they can
be dented or punctured easily. Hardboard is brittle. In any
case, unprotected edges and corners of fiberboard products
are especially vulnerable. Consider installing plastic corner
guards, door bumpers, and other protective devices. Arrange
furniture and place fixtures in a way that will minimize
contact with fiberboard walls.
If laminated layers of wallboard are separating, they
can be reattached by applying or injecting wheat paste, an
adhesive commonly used in conservation work because the
changes can be undone relatively easily. You can make your
own paste with wheat starch from a natural foods store (see
recipe below), although it may be easier to buy wheat paste
from an art or archival products supplier. If the wallboard’s
fibers are separating:
Thin wheat paste with water.
Use the thinned paste to soak the area.
This approach is feasible for small areas. Extensive damage
may require replacing the wallboard panel.
•
•
All fiberboards expand and contract with humidity and
should be installed with gaps between the panels. Gaps that
are too small can cause the board to warp or the finish to
fail. If the fiberboards were installed with too small a gap,
trim the fiberboards carefully to provide enough space for
expansion.
If you can remove a warped fiberboard panel without
damage, wet it slightly, apply pressure to flatten it, and allow
it to dry before reinstalling it. Use small, inconspicuous nails
or screws when reattaching sagging fiberboard on ceilings.
If the fiberboard is too damaged to repair, replace it.
Fiberboards are still made today. Some modern products
match the size and appearance of some historic products.
Another option is to reuse fiberboard from a less visible
area (such as a closet or attic) or from buildings that are
not historically significant. Substitute materials, such as
gypsum board, may be acceptable replacements for painted
wallboard. Be sure to consult with your heritage staff and
State Historic Preservation Office before removing or
replacing any materials.
PlywoodMost people are familiar with plywood, a laminated
product consisting of thin layers of wood glued together with
alternating perpendicular grain orientations. Until about
�9�9, plywood also was known as scale board, pasted wood,
and built-up wood. Plywood is lighter and stronger than solid
wood, is more flexible, and has a high shear value.
In the nineteenth century, plywood was made of thin
strips of saw-cut wood and was typically used for furniture
and door panels. The plywood industry began to flourish
after rotary cutters were invented in the �890s. These
machines cut large, thin sheets of wood by rotating a log
against a knife. This advance permitted the development of
larger and stronger sheets of plywood.
Despite considerable attention, plywood production
was rather lackluster in the early �900s. This changed
during World War I when the product was improved and
used to construct lightweight aircraft. With these advances,
public perception shifted. Plywood, no longer seen as a
cheap substitute, became valued in a variety of building
applications.
RecipesWheat Paste
Mix � tablespoon of wheat starch with 5
tablespoons of distilled water
Microwave on “High” for 20 to 30 seconds,
then stir.
Repeat several times until the paste is stiff
and translucent.
Let the paste cool before using.
7
Figure 7—The interior of the infirmary at the Rabideau CCC camp (recently designated as a National Historic Landmark) is finished in varnished plywood, including curved vaults in the hallway and some rooms. Camp Rabideau is part of the Blackduck Ranger District (Chippewa National Forest, Eastern Region).
Figure 8—These plywood cabinets, constructed by the CCC in the cookhouse at the Fenn Ranger Station, are on the kitchen side of the serving counter. In this structure, cabinets visible only to the cook are plywood, while cabinets visible from the dining room are constructed of solid lumber.
Originally limited to door panels, walls, and ceilings
(figure 7), plywood eventually was accepted in other
applications, such as sheathing and cabinetry (figure 8), and
exterior finished surfaces.
IdentificationThe most obvious characteristics of plywood include
its wood grain, laminated layers, and the football-shaped
plugs used as patches when defects are removed from a layer.
Often, these plugs are visible even after the plywood has
been painted.
Plywood has been available with interior-, exterior-,
or marine-grade glues since the late �930s. Interior glues
remain the cheapest, but marine glues provide the most
resistance to delamination (separation of layers) if the
plywood gets wet. Normally, plywood is stamped with its
strength and service ratings.
Maintenance and RepairPlywood is as durable as solid wood if the right type
has been selected and it is properly maintained. Interior
plywood can be maintained much like fiberboard. Dust
regularly or clean with a damp cloth. Exterior plywood
requires preventive maintenance to protect it against rot,
delamination, warping, and weathering. Minimize the
potential for damage by keeping gutters and drainpipes
The Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory
is credited with significant contributions to plywood
technology. The lab began testing plywood sheathing in the
late �920s and successfully erected an experimental stressed-
skin plywood house in �935. Two years later, the Forest
Products Laboratory built the first prefabricated low-cost
plywood house.
A series of other firsts emerged for the laminated sheet
material in the �930s. These included the introduction of the
first water-resistant plywood for exterior use (�934), the first
commercially prefabricated house with exterior plywood
(�936), and the design of the plywood Dri-Bilt house (�938)
that featured PlyScord subfloors and sheathing, PlyWall
ceilings and walls, PlyPanel built-ins, and PlyShield siding
in over a million low-cost homes. Plywood had become an
accepted building material.
The first standard-size sheets of plywood were 3 by
6 feet, but by the early �930s, 4- by 8-foot sheets were
standard. They typically had an odd number of layers,
although plywood with even numbers of layers has been
produced since World War II. As the techniques for
manufacturing plywood were perfected, manufacturers
increasingly offered plywood with decorative veneers and
finishes. Some were made with striations or V-shaped
grooves carved into them. Others were embossed or
prefinished in several colors.
8
clean, making sure the ground is at least 8 inches below
plywood siding, and removing adjacent debris and vegetation
that hold moisture. Make sure the exterior finish–whether it
is paint, stain, or other material–is kept in a sound condition
through regular maintenance and reapplication. Weathered
plywood can be sanded lightly and sealed.
Most material failures result from using plywood made
with interior glues in exterior applications. The glues fail and
the layers come apart. If the layers have begun pulling apart,
but the panel is generally sound, the layers can be reglued by
using a large syringe (found at veterinary supply stores) to
inject wood adhesive between them. Alternatively, a utility
knife can be used to cut a slit in the top layer and raise it
just enough to daub adhesive between it and the next layer.
Either clamp the layers (if the panel is vertical) or place a
sandbag or other heavy object on the surface (if the panel is
horizontal) until the adhesive dries. If the delamination is
extensive, the panel may need to be replaced.
Plywood installed without any space between adjoining
panels may buckle when it expands. Thin sheets that have
buckled can sometimes be straightened by using a rotary
saw to carefully trim off a narrow sliver at the joint. More
fasteners may need to be added. Thicker panels probably will
need to be replaced.
Plywood that has minor damage from impacts usually
can be repaired using wood putty. Be sure to use putty
designed for the application. Exterior putty and paintable
putties are available. Some putties will take stain, but test the
putty before using it to make sure the cured and stained patch
will match the surrounding surface. If the impact damage is
extensive or if it affects the strength of the panel, replacement
is the best option.
You can treat rotten plywood by removing unsound areas
and replacing them with matching plywood. Apply wood
preservative, paint, or other protective sealant as appropriate
afterward.
Plywood is readily available, so replacing panels with
matching materials may be easy if the surface is smooth
and covered with paint. It may be more difficult to match
special finishes such as embossing, striations, and grooves.
If the plywood has a clear finish, it is important to match the
species, grain, and other visual characteristics of the original
plywood. It’s also important to match the type of clear finish
because different finishes age differently. For instance,
varnish yellows as it ages, water-based polyurethane remains
clear, and oil finishes darken.
Today, plywood sheathing is being supplanted by
oriented strand board (OSB), its cheaper cousin that was
developed in the late �970s. OSB is not a good substitute for
exposed plywood surfaces in historic buildings because it has
a distinctive surface texture.
More InformationThe following resources provide indepth information about
fiberboard and plywood.
Books and JournalsAPT Bulletin 28, No. 2-3. �997. Contains three articles on
Homasote, Masonite, Beaver Board, and Upson Board.
Bynum, Richard T. 2000. Insulation Handbook. New York:
McGraw-Hill Professional. Includes chapters on insulation
board and historical products, as well as a directory of
products with manufacturers and descriptions.
Jester, Thomas C., ed. �995. Twentieth-Century Building
Materials. New York: McGraw-Hill. Has individual chapters
on fiberboard, plywood, and acoustic materials.
Sellers, Terry, Jr. �985. Plywood and Adhesive Technology.
New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc., Addresses the history,
manufacture, and applications of plywood.
Other ResourcesAmerican Fiberboard Association
853 North Quentin Rd. No. 3�7
Palatine, IL 60067
Phone: 847–934–8394
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.fiberboard.org/
9
Richa Wilson is the Intermountain Regional Architectural Historian and vice-chairman of the board of directors for
the nonprofit Traditional Buildings Skills Institute. She has a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a master’s degree in
historic preservation. As a Peace Corps volunteer, Richa served as head of the Building Inspection Section in Blantyre,
Malawi, and provided architectural services to Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children. She worked in private practice
in Washington, DC, and Oregon before joining the Forest Service in �998.
Kathleen Snodgrass came to MTDC as a project leader in 200�. She graduated from Washington State University
in �974 with a bachelor of science degree in architectural studies and then spent about �0 years in highway design and
construction with the Idaho Division of Highways. She began her career with the Forest Service in �984. Kathie worked in
facilities, landscape architecture, land line, and general engineering on the Nez Perce National Forest for around �0 years
and was the forest’s facilities architect for about 7 years before coming to MTDC.
About the Authors
APA—The Engineered Wood Association
70�� South �9th Ave.
Tacoma, WA 98466
Phone: 253–565–6600
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.apawood.org/
Composite Panel Association
�8922 Premiere Ct.
Gaithersburg, MD 20879–�574
Phone: 30�–670–0604
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.pbmdf.com
Forest Products Laboratory
One Gifford Pinchot Dr.
Madison, WI 53726
Phone: 608–23�–9200
Web site: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/
Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association
�825 Michael Faraday Dr.
Reston, VA 20�90
Phone: 703–435–2900
Web site: http://www.hpva.org
Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate the willingness of Marc Ellis, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Kerri Roepke,
Tongass National Forest, and Bill Yourd, Chippewa National Forest to take photos to illustrate this tech tip.
Many thanks to Dr. Jerrold E. Winandy of the Forest Products Laboratory for his review of and helpful
comments on the content of this tech tip.
Some of the historical information in this tech tip came from the Plywood Pioneers Association Web site,
http://www.apawood.org/plywoodpioneers/.
�0
The Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed this information for the guidance of its employees, its contractors, and its cooperating Federal and State agencies, and is not responsible for the interpretation or use of this information by anyone except its own employees. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this document is for the information and convenience of the reader, and does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, �400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-94�0, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Library Card
Wilson, Richa; Snodgrass, Kathleen 2007. Early 20th-century building materials: fiberboard and plywood. Tech Tip
0773–2308–MTDC. Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development
Center. �0 p.
This is the second in a series of tech tips about innovative building materials developed in the first half of the 20th
century that were commonly incorporated into Forest Service buildings. It provides practical information to help engineers,
persons working in the heritage program, and others maintain and preserve historic facilities that contain fiberboard
and plywood. It describes the history of fiberboard and plywood, their manufacture, and their physical characteristics. It
addresses common problems encountered with fiberboard and plywood and provides guidance on their maintenance, repair,
and replacement.
Keywords: Beaver Board, facilities, Feltex, fiberboard, Fir-tex, hardboard, heritage, historic buildings, historic preservation,
history, Homasote, insulation, maintenance, Masonite, Nu-Wood, plywood, Upson Board, veneers
Additional single copies of this document may be ordered
from:
USDA Forest Service, Missoula Technology and
Development Center
5785 Hwy. �0 West
Missoula, MT 59808–936�
Phone: 406–329–3978
Fax: 406–329–37�9
E-mail: [email protected]
For additional information about early building
materials, contact Richa Wilson at:
Phone: 80�–625–5704
Fax: 80�–625–5229
E-mail: [email protected]
Or contact Kathie Snodgrass at MTDC:
Phone: 406–329–3922
Fax: 406–329–37�9
E-mail: [email protected]
Electronic copies of MTDC’s documents are available on
the Internet at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/t-d.php
Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
employees can search a more complete collection of
MTDC’s documents, videos, and CDs on their internal
computer networks at:
http://fsweb.mtdc.wo.fs.fed.us/search/
